Can A Bus Driver Afford Rent in Monticello, MN?

Stretched but workable — rent takes 36.1% of gross income.

Monticello rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Minnesota state estimate).

Monticello median rent
$1,623/mo
Bus Driver salary (Minnesota)
$53,893/yr
Rent as % of income
36.1%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,491, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,347/mo in rent. Monticello's median rent of $1,623 exceeds that threshold by $276/mo, putting a bus driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A bus driver works roughly 62.6 hours a month to cover that rent.

About rent and a bus driver salary

Transit bus driver pay sits near the US median household income, with municipal and unionized routes often paying more. At the national-average bus driver salary, the 30% rule supports about $1,296 a month in rent.

Cheaper rent nearby

These Minnesota cities have lower median rent than Monticello, which improves the affordability math on a bus driver salary:

Coon Rapids, MN
$1,622/mo (36.1% of income)
Eagan, MN
$1,622/mo (36.1% of income)
Brooklyn Park, MN
$1,621/mo (36.1% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Monticello

View full rent data for Monticello, MN

Frequently asked questions

Can a bus driver afford rent in Monticello, MN?

Median rent in Monticello is $1,623 a month. A typical bus driver in Minnesota earns about $53,893 a year, which makes that rent 36.1% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is no — rent exceeds the 30% threshold.

How much rent can a bus driver afford in Monticello?

Using the 30% rule, a bus driver salary in Minnesota (~$53,893/yr) supports up to $1,347 a month in rent. Monticello's current median rent is $1,623/mo, which is $276/mo over the affordability threshold.

How many hours does a bus driver work to cover rent in Monticello?

At an hourly equivalent of about $26 an hour, a bus driver in Minnesota works roughly 62.6 hours a month to cover Monticello's median rent of $1,623.

Where is rent cheaper than Monticello for a bus driver?

Nearby Minnesota cities with lower median rent include Coon Rapids ($1,622/mo), Eagan ($1,622/mo), Brooklyn Park ($1,621/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a bus driver salary.

Methodology: Salary uses the BLS-derived Minnesota state estimate from OEWS May 2024. Rent is the most recent ZORI monthly value for Monticello, MN. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.